


May God's Love Be With You

by eyesonly



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I just have a lot of feelings about Newt and Hermann, M/M, Post-Uprising, Sort of fix-it, Spoilers, lil gay scientists, this may be a one-shot, this may be more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-04-13 20:41:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14120391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyesonly/pseuds/eyesonly
Summary: Pacific Rim: Uprising Spoilers!The situation is FUBAR. Dr. Hermann Gottlieb knows that. But he's not going to let his Newt go. No matter how deep he has to go.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first Pacific Rim fic. I blame Charlie Day. I blame him for all of this. Idk. I just have a lot of feelings I need to get out of my system. And my other fandom is dying. So all aboard the tragfest train that is Newtmann, amirite? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Also this might be more? I'm in the middle of my last semester of grad school and I have a shit ton of work but here I am crying over some lil gay scientists.
> 
> Title comes from the song In the Sun by Joseph Arthur.

He doesn’t remember ever feeling this panicked before. At the first impending apocalypse, now the second. He hasn’t felt nearly as scared then as he does now.

“Ranger Pentecost, I need to see Dr. Geiszler!” He limps after the younger man. His voice desperate and angry.

“Dr. Gottlieb, you said he tried to kill you.”

“He didn’t. The Precursors, yes. But not, Newton. He…he was trying to fight against them, I’ve known him for over two decades. We are friends and I know my friend would never intentionally hurt me.”

Jake stops and looks at him.  
“Dr. Gott-“

“Jacob, I am begging you. Please let me see him. I-I broke through to him, I know he’s in there. He’s fighting to become himself again. If you lock him up, with nothing, no hope, what does he have to fight for? Let me talk to him. I can protect myself, I am fully capable you know?”

Jake scrubs his face and looks as if someone is going to catch his hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

“Okay, but if Lambert finds out he’s going to kick my ass.”

“I will defend you from Nathan, do not worry about that. I just need to get a baseline, I need to see where he’s at and then I can start the best treatment into bringing Newton back to himself.”

Jake scrunches his face with a puzzled look.

“Treatment? What treatment? Dr. Gottlieb!” Before he can get the second ‘treatment’ out, Hermann hobbles past him to the vague general direction of where he believes Newt’s cell is.

“I’m going to help him whether you like it or not, Jacob!”

“Dr. Gottlieb, I need you to listen!” He chases after the surprisingly quick crippled man to the cell doors, “Geisz-That thing inside Geiszler is cruel. Calculating. Manipulative. He’s going to say what he thinks you want to hear. We’ve had to make sure none of the staff even knows Dr. Geiszler for that reason. That thing will use you. Just, be careful…alright?”

Hermann nods and pushes himself into some semblance of a steely composure. The doors whoosh open and he sees him.

Newt is shackled to a chair, his head hanging. He doesn’t know if he is unconscious or asleep. He takes a step in as the doors close. He takes a few more hesitant steps; his cane scraping against the floor.

Newt’s head slowly lifts, a wide smile on his face. It’s not Newt’s smile. Hermann has never seen him look so sinister before.

“Well finally! We were wondering when the great Dr. Gottlieb would be paying us a visit. What can we do you for, Hermy?” Newt’s mouth moves, his voice is his, but there is a deep hollow echo that fills each word.

“I’m here to talk to Newton,” He keeps his voice even and strong, forgoing the heartbreak he truly feels.

“Newton is here. We are Newton. Do you think we are separate entities? We are a collective. Newton has become a part of us,” There is almost a mirthful humor in his voice that sends chills down his spine.

Herman shakes his head and puts up a finger wagging it in his direction as he moves closer.

“I do not believe you. You can convince Shao and Pentecost and Lambert, but you won’t convince me.”

“You think you love him. We know. We have been in your head too, Hermann, do you forget that? Oh no, of course you don’t, we remind you every night,” It’s a sick smirk that doesn’t belong on Newt’s face.

Hermann looks at Newton, no, this thing. This parasite that has infected his best friend, perhaps in another time, the love of his life.

“Why him then? Why not me? My specialties could have better helped you, he doesn’t know war like I do.”

“Why would we need to get into your head when you so willingly tell us…hell, you’ll tell us anything! You two are a packaged deal! We wouldn’t have gotten nearly this far without you too, Hermy! The kaiju blood and natural elements? You practically handed it to us! Now you, you are too rational; hearing voices would have just boggled your preciously perfect mind and we would never have gotten this far. But it’s not too hard to infect someone who is a few screws loose!” He cackles almost manically, the deep echo still present.

Hermann swallows a little, panicking at the thought of those creatures rummaging around his head. 

“You’re mission failed. You all failed. Now leave, and give Newton back to us, to me. He can’t serve you anymore. They’ll never let him out of here alive, you all know that and so you all have failed,” He orders, his voice rushed in faux confidence.

The beings inside Newton laugh again and his head slowly falls to his chest before he gasps his head popping back up. Newt’s eyes are dilated and there is a trickle of blood falling out of his left nostril.

“H-Hermann? I didn’t…please, I didn’t know! Please, Herm! I don’t want to be here…please, I miss you so much and they won’t let me out. You have to let me out, I want to be with you, please Hermann!” Newt begs, sounding more like himself than he’s heard in a decade.

“Newton, love, I’m trying. You are so brave and so strong, you have to fight them!”

“Please, Herm, let me out, it hurts, I need you to let me out,” He pulls weakly at the restraints and whimpers.

“I’m not in control of that, Newt. I need you to talk to me, first.”

“Please,” He whimpers, “Hermann, you have to help me out…” His voice cracks and he looks pathetically at him.

Hermann moves closer, maybe he can loosen the cuffs-

Newt turns to him with a soft laugh.

“You’re too easy, Hermy. Shao even lasted longer than you!”

“You disgusting, vile-!” He wants to punch this parasite in the face. He raises his cane, and Newt’s body doesn’t even flinch.

“Ah ah ah,” Newt’s distorted voice warns, “Are you willing to hurt your poor little Newt like that? See, this is what your pathetic species calls a “hostage situation”. You may have us captured, which is a major downer, let us tell you, for our plans, but we will happily continue to torture Dr. Geiszler to get what we want.”

“Don’t you dare hurt him!”

“Oh Hermy, we already have. You think he didn’t know about the nightmares? Your nightmares are his punishment. We would have completed our plans several years ago, but he, in an unwise moment of dumb valor, erased all of the work for the drones. This little bastard deleted it all! Part of the deal was he delivered, we left you alone. He destroyed what we wanted, we destroyed what he wanted,” Newton’s face gives him a proud and smug look.  
Hermann glares and moves closer to Newton’s face.

“You can give me all the nightmares you want. But I have the upper-hand now and I will destroy you. You will not force me away and I will, you damned parasite, I will have Newton return if it is the last thing I do in this bloody world!”

Newton smirks with a short laugh.

“You won’t have enough time. We will end you and your kind! This is just the beginning!”

Hermann turns and limps out of the cell, the door opening at his ready.

“Sleep well, Hermy!” Newton calls out in a mocking voice.

Hermann shakes his head as Jake greets him with the closing of the door. He has no words for Jake or any of the other members of the facility. Making his way back to his personal lab, he gets to work on a plan to save his partner.

For Dr. Hermann Gottlieb knows he will not be sleeping at all this night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermann accepts that he needs some help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm still supposed to be working on a six page exam but a second chapter already happened. Whoops.

It’s been a week since Hermann saw Newt. He’s hardly slept. Not that he thinks he could if he wanted too. 

“Dr. Gottlieb? Major Lambert asked me to bring you dinner?”

He looks up from his hunched over position. His desk is a disastrous mess. He muses if this is a accurate metaphor for his own brain these days. He forces a polite smile.

“Thank you, Julia. Send Nathan my gratitudes for his...attentiveness,” He holds the cafeteria tray a little disdainfully.

“He’s just worried about you, sir. You should take a break, get out of here for a bit. Eat some real food, hell I make you my mom’s famous paella if you’ll just leave here. You need some rest too. When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep?” Her voice is warm, almost motherly.

Hermann stares blankly at her, “Ten years ago, now I don’t mean to be impolite, Julia, but I have far too much work to do. Surprisingly, there is not much research available on mind’s being taken over by evil alien superspecies hellbent on destroying humanity,” the last bit he mumbles to himself.

Jules takes a seat next to him looking over the research papers and data, all K-Science and Precursor related material.

“Have you just looked into...you know, psychological research?”

“Psychology is a bunch of woo science,” he waves his hand incredulously at her.

Jules rolls her eyes a bit before she scans a few sheets of the paper, scrunching her own nose in dissatisfaction.

“I know you’re the doctor here, sir. But maybe this isn’t a hard science. Maybe...maybe it’s like Stockholm Syndrome? The Precursors are the only thing he’s known to give him security for the past decade. I’m sure it’s hard to give up a part of yourself, for better or worse, that you’ve had for so long,” She shrugs before standing. “Have a good night, Dr. Gottlieb. I hope you find something...soon.”

Jules Reyes leaves the room and heads back to her own station.

Hermann is a stubborn man. He knows that Reyes has a point and he can’t admit that maybe there is some validity to her thoughts. Could it be easy as basic psychology?

The next morning he eagerly limps into Jake’s station holding a book of papers in his hands. 

“Jacob, I have a plan!” He grins, but it comes off far more manic than he intends. 

Jake chuckles softly, taking his arms to steady him. “Whoa there, Doc. What kind of plan?”

“We are going to treat him. Psychologically. Neurologically. These Precursors, we have to look at them as an ailment. An illness. Newton is sick. He did not ask for this to happen, much like people do not ask for things like depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder. We can’t treat him like a prisoner or criminal, he will never get better,” Hermann rambles shoving all sorts of scientific literature into his hands.

“Dr. Gottlieb, he is a criminal. That’s not my decision. He killed people. Lots of people, my sister included,” Jake attempts to reason with him, trying to not let his own hurt come through.

“As I said before. That was not Newton. It is the Precursors. They are a disease infecting his brain. We have to change something. I fear he may be already too far gone,” he mutters lowly, almost to himself. 

Jake sighs with a soft nod, “I’ll do whatever I can. I’ll try to pull some strings, get him in a more comfortable room, yeah?”

Hermann grips his shoulder with one hand, nearly dropping all of his papers, “You are a good man, Jacob Pentecost.”

Jake is able to give Hermann full security clearance to Newton, and has him moved to more secure but free roaming cell. 

When Newt is moved to his new cell, Hermann visits for the first time in nearly two weeks.

Newt looks tired. His hair is wild from running his hands through it, a beard growing against his thinning cheeks. He’s laying on the small bed provided facing the wall, his back to the door. 

“Newton?” He says softly, hobbling inside.

The body moves and Newt faces him, his expression blank.

“Newton?” He repeats a bit more worried.

“Hey, Herms. You really here?” He asks softly.

“Yes, Newton. I’m really here.”

Newt shakes his head, gripping at his hair as if fending something back.

“I-I don’t know what’s real anymore. I don’t know if I’m me anymore. Why are they keeping me alive?” His voice is the definition of defeated.

“Because we haven’t given up on you, Newt. We know you’re there. That they’ll get weaker.”

Newton makes a noise and he isn’t sure if it’s a laugh or a sob.

“They aren’t. Trust me, Herm, they aren’t. They’re waiting. Planning-” As he says the words he grips his head letting out a moan and gasp.

He mutters words under his breath, “I’m sorry, I won’t, please I won’t. Please, I won’t, let me talk to him longer, please.”

Blood is trickling out of his nose and he wants to reach out and comfort him. He doesn’t, not trusting that it’s not another ploy. A trick to make him vulnerable.

Newt gasps and lets out heavy breaths before looking back up to Hermann, eyes dilated but shrinking.

“Th-They listen. Gotta be careful, play along,” He then looks like he’s seeing Hermann for the first time, “You look like shit. They’re not letting you sleep are they? I’ll do better, okay Hermy? I’ll get you some good sleep. I can do that for you. I have to keep you safe too. I’m sorry I made you drift with me. This wouldn’t have happened, if I hadn’t-”

“Newton, you didn’t make me do anything. Drifting with you...I regret none of it. I just wish that I could do more for you now. I’m trying to make things more comfortable for you. I promise I’ll come visit more. Even if...if it’s them. I’ll be here. I won’t let you feel forgotten.”

Newt weakly smiles and gives an imperceptible nod, “I’d like that. I miss you a lot, dude.”

Hermann gives him a reassuring smile back. “I was thinking about getting some things shipped back from your place to bring here. Make it more like home for you. I'll get some books, music, something to make this place somewhat bearable. ”

Newton looks wide-eyed as if Hermann has said something he's been waiting for . Words pour out faster than he can think them, “RiChu Tower, 47th floor. You need to, it’s my only chan- fuck!” He curses out with a scream, as he holds his head falling onto the floor writhing in pain. 

He can’t stop himself as he rushes over and kneels with a wince, “Newton, Newt, you must fight them. You are stronger than all of them, I know you are!”

Newton lets out a noise he can only describe as a roar, before he single handedly grabs Hermann and throws him into the nearest wall.

“You will pay for meddling, Gottlieb! You have signed his death warrant!” Newton stalks toward him with a glare that could and would kill. 

Before he can reach Hermann, his body falls and convulses. That is when he sees the small metal device behind his ear, imbedded into his skin. A conductive energy device, sending a thousand volts right through is brainstem. 

Nate rushes in wielding his gun with another PPDC officer. 

“Nathan, put your guns away. He’s incapacitated. Now help me up,” He orders to the Major. 

Nate puts his gun away and helps Hermann up, looking him over to make sure he’s alright.

“You’re going to get yourself killed, doctor,” Nate chides steadying him.

Hermann brushes his hands off him.

“I’m fine, thank you. Newt gave us something, did you hear? RiChu Tower, 47th floor.”

Nate nods, “We already have people in the air.”

“Those bastards. Figures they would have an evil lair, like bloody Bond villains,” Hermann grumbles under his breath.

“We thought it was suspicious that his place was immaculate, almost if no one had lived there. Now we have a lead. Thank you, Dr. Gottlieb.”

Hermann nods and watches as they gather the unconscious Newt and place him back on the bed.

That night he dreams of a happy and laughing Newton, reading one of his beloved mangas on a pristine beach. The golden sun tanning his skin, tattoos shining from his arms and up onto his chest. He grins from behind his thick rimmed glasses and leans in. He swears he can feel the lips against his own.

It’s the first night he hasn’t had a nightmare in nearly five years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on tumblr @deanogarbage


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice is finally discovered. Her potential destruction leads to complications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was going to abandon this, then I saw Uprising again and here we are...

He’s not surprised when they report that they found a full dossier with what can only be described as doomsday plans. 

He’s not surprised when they find a journal, essentially recording Newton’s descent into madness.

He is surprised when he is told there is a Kaiju brain in Newton’s room with his own pons interface.

Alice.

They immediately bring the brain back to Hong Kong. Hermann begging them not to destroy it. Not until he can truly get answers.

He walks briskly, despite his staggered gait. He holds up the security key allowing access to Newt’s cell and he rushes in.

“We found the brain. Alice,” It isn’t accusatory or angry, he says it as a matter of fact, unsure of who he is truly dealing with.

Newton is laying on the floor, his feet up the wall. Bouncing a rubber ball, a small gift to relieve boredom, in between his feet on the wall.

He doesn’t look at Hermann and just keeps bouncing the ball.  
“We know,” the voice is the Precursors’, not Newt’s.

“He was drifting with that thing. Is that how you’ve maintained access and control of him?” He asks more as a curious scientist, not a concerned friend.

Newt’s head turns as he catches the ball looking at him. There is an odd smile on his face.

“I mean, technically, you drifted with that thing too,” The voice hums amused.

“That didn’t answer my question, is the brain keeping your control on him?” Hermann orders, hitting his cane on the floor for good measure.

Newt chuckles and sits up raising his hands in a mock-placating manner.

“Kill it, it won’t matter. We will still be here. We’ll always be here,” The voice is deeper and challenges him.

Hermann wags his finger, starting to pace a little.

“I think you are bluffing. The brain means something. Newton tried to warn me before. He told me to come have dinner with Alice, that was him. Trying to clue me in, wasn’t it?” Hermann’s voice is chipper, his brain feeling clearer than it has in weeks.

“It was only a ploy to recruit you. We would have forced a drift. We would have infected you like we infected him,” Newt is glaring, the amusement gone.

“But I have already drifted with the brain. No, Newton was warning me. Warning me of the apocalypse. He breaks through far more than you believe.Your control over him has been tenuous since Tokyo, hasn’t it?” Hermann challenges himself.

Newt turns his head and stretches it as if something is trying to break out of his skin. He shakes his head and lets out a gasp.

“Hermann? You found her? You have to destroy, Alice. It won’t- it won’t fix me, but it’ll help,” His voice is tight and fragile sounding, his head twist like he’s dodging invisible hands. “They’re mad at me, Herm. They don’t want me-” He breathes out a gasp, “They don’t want me talking to you. I’m fighting back. You’re giving me something to fight for, buddy,” His lip trembles into a smile.

“Newton, the brain could hold so many answers. You proved that yourself- if we keep it alive for longer…” Newton cuts him off and looks angry.

“That’s them, Hermann. You can’t, shit Herms, you can’t listen to them! You think it’s you thinking that, but it’s not! It’s them, they’re going after you. Their connection is weak but they want to do this to you too. You have to destroy it!” Newt grabs him by the shoulders shaking him, his cane falling to the ground.

Hermann looks in horror at him, hoping that Lambert or Pentecost are watching them on the camera and already calling orders.

“Okay, Newton. I will, I promise you. Is there anything else, anything else you can tell me?” Hermann begs, putting his own supportive hands on the younger man’s tattooed arms.

Newton looks at him, searching his face. Before he twists his head, blood dribbling again out of his nose.

“I gotta play nice, to stay with you, Herm,” There is a bitter humor to his voice, he shakily pats his shoulder, “I’ve never been happier to see your horrible taste in fashion, man.”

Hermann can’t help but roll his eyes, trying to hide a fond smile.

“Functional, Newton, functional. Plus, we all cannot be rockstars can we?”

Newt looks and shakes his head, his eyes teary as he grips onto Hermann tighter.

“Maybe I can be the next Elvis? Or Johnny Cash? Make my own sad, almost apocalyptic, Jailhouse Rock?” He tries to joke, but his smile falters as his lip quivers.

“Newton-”

“If-if it gets too bad, just kill me, Herm, okay? I’m so tired...I just want to be me again,” Newt whispers in a sobering tone.

“And you will, Newton. I refuse to give up on you. You’re an immature idiot, but you are the dearest friend I have,” Hermann squeezes his arms reassuringly.

Newt snorts softly looking at him, “Dude, I’m the only friend you have.”

Hermann glares with a fond smile, “Even like this you are an insolent prick! I try to have a heartfelt moment and you are insisting on insulting me!” 

Newt grins brightly at him before his head twists and he whimpers holding his head, “You need to go, Hermann. It’s not safe.”

Hermann pauses before he picks up his cane and looks sadly. 

“I’ll be back, Newton. Stay strong,” His voice is soft as he exits the cell.   
As soon as he leaves, he can hear the Precursors regain control. Spewing curses and threats, beating Newton’s hands against the doors. They threaten to injure and kill Newton, desperately trying to stop any harm from coming to the brain. 

Hermann’s own mind soon feels cloudy; an odd sensation coming over him as he falls to his knees, Jules rushes to him, calling for help. He brings his hand to his own face feeling blood leaking out of his nose.

His red stained fingers are the last thing he sees before he collapses in Jules’ arms. 

_Are you listening to us now, Dr. Gottlieb?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tables have turned and Newton doesn't know what to do in the silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I officially have a Master's degree. I'm gone with college. Dobby is a free elf. Sorry this is short and maybe not the best, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Thank you all for the comments, kudos, and favorites. They all mean the world to me <3 I promise I won't abandon this fic lol

The first thing he notices is silence.

Complete and utter silence. 

He blinks his eyes open and frowns at the blurriness of his surroundings.

Pushing himself up, he rubs his eyes, trying to rub the fog way from his vision. 

It takes him a good minute to realize the unfocusedness isn’t going away.

A door opens and he moves his head in the general direction of the sound, seeing a blurry figure walk in his direction.

“If you don’t like the breakfast, can you not throw it this time?” The blurry male says with irritation laced in his voice.

“What?” He confusion is genuine. Everything seems so confusing. Why does everything seem wrong?

The unfocused person doesn’t repeat themselves but sighs moving out of his vision.

“Thanks for playing nice, Geiszler,” The voice says before the door swooshes shut.

Geiszler. That’s who he was. Dr. Newton “Call me Newt” Geiszler. 

He stopped as if trying to hear something fine and soft. 

He looks at the blurry mirror reflected window facing the room and goes over, lightly knocking on the hard glass.

“Excuse me? Can I talk to someone?” He clears his voice trying to talk over the shakey hoarseness, “Please, can I talk to Dr. Gottlieb? Doctor Hermann Gottlieb?”

A voice comes over the intercom system in the room. 

“Yes, Geiszler?” The voice sounds dreadfully exasperated.

“First, can I have my glasses? I can’t see a damn thing. Well I can see, it’s just all really blurry. Second, I feel like it should be important to tell someone that the Precursors are freakishly silent, possibly gone, and I’d really like to talk to someone about it? Preferably, Dr. Gottlieb?” He rubs at his longer hair, pulling back almost surprised to feel it at that length. 

“Like we haven’t heard that one before, Geiszler,” the voice sighs.

“I’m sure you have. I’m not asking to be released or anything, here; I definitely don’t think my crazy ass should be in the gen-pop anytime soon. But, I really would like to talk Dr. Gottlieb if I could, before they make their grand return and continue to fuck me and my life over,” Newt counters back.

The guard continues out of the door and Newt jumps up as the door pounds against it worriedly.

“Something is wrong! I need to see Hermann!” He cries out. “Listen to me, you assholes! Just for once! There is something not right, I’m trying to help you all out here!”

His last beat on the door is weak, his energy feeling spent already. His body clearly having taken its toll in the confinement.

Newt slides to the floor, his head resting against the cold metal wall.

He knows he should be grateful for the silence in his head, but he didn’t understand until that moment how alone he really was.

The silence would kill him faster than any Precursor could.

\---

Jules Reyes looks over as Dr. Hermann Gottlieb begins to wake from his bed.

“Hey Doc, you with me? How are you feeling?”

Hermann blinks at her rubbing his cheek before looking over at her with a small smile.

“I feel wonderful, Julia. I apologize greatly for inconveniencing you. I must have been dreadfully tired. A good rest has me feeling good as new,” His voice is smooth and confident.

Jules nods a little apprehensively. 

“Well, the attending doctor figured that was the issue. You need to take better care of yourself, Doctor. Putting yourself in danger won’t bring Dr. Gieszler back any quicker,” She lightly scolds.

He nods and puts his hands up placatingly, “Of course. I won’t keep you up any longer. Thank you for your care, Julia. I have some matters I need to attend to in the lab, if you don’t mind.”

Jules sighs as he gets up and goes to the restroom in the little medical suite. She gets up to leave, as she watches him walk over with a noticeably missing limp. She shakes her head and heads back to her station. 

Hermann walks into the restroom and uses the toilet. When he finishes his washes his hands and looks into the vanity mirror. A smirk draws across his face. 

“Quite a predicament you’ve gotten yourself in, Hermann,” He muses to himself as he walks out of the restroom.

He takes the cane from the bedside with a disgusted look before gripping it and leaning his weight into it, the feeling natural and familiar.

“Such a dreadfully weak body,” his voice angrily mutters as he quickly limps off to his lab.

Entering the lab, he closes the door and locks it behind him before throwing down the cane. He stalks towards the computer in the room, his fingers flying over the keys as he opens classified files with a pleased hum.

“You have been the most helpful, Dr. Gottlieb,” His voice distorts as his face morphs into something that is not his own.

“Now, let’s go save Newton’s darling Alice, shall we?” He smirks finding the files he needs.

Inside his mind the echoes of Dr. Hermann Gottlieb’s screams are buried by the constant harsh alien voices of the Precursors.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt is bored, he can't see, and why the fuck has Hermann not visited him yet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me, updating and shit. This one is a little bit longer. Idk maybe better? Also can we all talk about how Charlie Day is personally fucking me up in Hotel Artemis????????

“14,997, 14,998, 14,999, fifteen-fucking-thousand,” Newton rolls over onto his stomach on his little cot. 

He looks up at the camera in the corner of his room and sighs softly.

“It’s been hours. The little vestiges that remain of my brain are literally rotting from boredom. And I can’t read. I can’t fucking see. Are glasses now a safety hazard? Do you all think I’m going to like break the glass and make a shiv? Like I would waste my perfectly good glasses on that. Who would I even shiv? I literally have seen no one. Speaking of, can someone, for the millionth time, get Dr. Gottlieb? Or Pentecost? Or his scary little boytoy? Those two are fucking, right? They look like they’re constantly undressing each other with their eyes and deciding what naughty thing to do ne-” He doesn’t even finish his sentence before the doors woosh open.

Lambert charges in with a hysterically laughing Pentecost at his heels. Newt can only see two blurry figures and scrambles up and backs into the wall as Lambert charges toward him.

“You loudmouth, smart ass, weasel faced, piece of sh-” Lambert growls out pushing him into the wall by his shoulder.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Jesus Christ, I didn’t think anyone was listening!” Newt puts his hands up placatingly in a gesture of amusement and terror.

“Nate, chill out, you have to admit it was funny, mate. Let the poor little guy go, he actually seems like himself for once,” Jake laughs gently pulling on Nate’s arm for him to release Newton.

Nate glares an backs up as Newt rubs his shoulder.

“That’s because I am myself! I’ve been trying to tell you that for hours! The Precursors are gone and while I appreciate being control of myself for the first time in a decade, I’m going to just say I’m a little concerned,” Newt glares up at Nate with a disgusted look, “And who the hell are you calling weasel faced you reject Captain America?” 

Nate lets out another low growl and Jake takes his arm again with a snort.

“Okay, okay, simmer down. I’m going to try to find Dr. Gottlieb, you stay here. Play nice, if he shoots you I’m not responsible. Come on Nate,” he leaves the room with Nate in tow, still glaring at Newt until the doors clothes.

“I don’t trust or like him,” Nate grumbles following Jake as he leaves the insolation area in search of Gottlieb.

“That’s just him. I met him a few times when I was a kid, dad had just hired them. Him and Gottlieb, I mean. They were always a pair. I always liked Newt. He was funny, treated me like a person, not just a dumb kid you know? I know Mako really liked him too. I want to be angry at him. For what he did to her, but I know Mako would fight for him. She would know that wasn’t really him,” He confesses heading up to the labs.

As they approach the labs they come across a distracted looking Hermann as he heads toward the Kaiju Exploration Lab. He hardly limps and nearly runs into Jake who smiles and steadies him.

“Whoa, there doc. You’re in a hurry,” he observes wondering what he’s in such a hurry to do.

“Oh, my dear Jacob! I didn’t see you and Nathan there. I was just hoping to get a better look at the brain before it is ultimately destroyed,” He says with a smooth confidence.

“Well I’m going to need you to hold off, doc. We have a bit of a situation. A good situation I think? Newt woke up and he’s completely himself. No sign of the Precursors at all. Maybe they abandoned ship as soon as we got the brain, I don’t really know. But he’s asking for you, and if there is anyone who could prove Newt is Newt, it’s going to be you,” Jake smiles, expecting some sort of excitement from the scientist.

Instead he sighs and almost rolls his eyes. “Of course, I’m sure it’s not the case and just another Precursor ruse. I’m quite busy but I suppose I can speak to him for a bit.”

Nate gives Jake a side glance but follows them back to the isolation cell.

“Would you mind if I spoke to Newton in private, officers?” Hermann asks before entering the cell.

Jake nods with Nate giving him a suspicious look.

“Sure thing, doc, let us know when you’re ready to come out.”

They head to the observation room as Hermann enters the cell. Newt picks up his head from the cot before excitedly rushing over to Hermann.

“Herm! It’s me! 100% me! They’re gone!” Newt beams as he realizes his hug is relatively one sided.

He looks up at Hermann who looks rather displeased at the reaction.

“Oh sorry, I thought our public displays of affection ban was lifted?” Newt releases him backing up a little.

“Consider it put back on, I don’t know who I’m truly dealing with anymore,” Hermann says coldly.

Newt frowns and instinctively backs up further. “Herm, it’s me. I promise. I thought you’d be happy? You believed in me...for so long,” His voice dejected.

“I won’t allow myself to be hurt by some Precursor ploy. I think you are now more dangerous than ever. The Precursors are becoming smarter and emulating you more. I don’t trust this, or you,” Gottlieb continues in a detached fashion.

Newt shakes his head, his eyes pooling up with frustrated tears.

“What crawled up your ass and died, dude? I trusted you. I trusted you to be the only one in this fucking place to believe me. You’re no different than the rest of the soulless PPDC goons out there. If you’re just going to insult me, you can just leave.”

Hermann almost smirks and shrugs his shoulders.

“That’s fine, I have some work to do anyways,” He turns walking away his limp completely absent.

“Herm? You’re not...your leg?” He stammers a little confused.

Hermann looks down and back at him.

“It’s so odd, ever since I left your cell last night, I have never felt better. I feel more free and enlightened. You wouldn’t understand, would you Newt? We’ll see you later, maybe.” He hums as he leaves the cell. 

Lambert and Pentecost both already waiting on him. 

“Well?” Jake asks.

“I believe he is more dangerous than ever and should not be trusted at all. Good night, gentlemen,” Hermann says flippantly as he half-limps away toward the labs. 

It takes a moment for Newt to process Hermann’s words when a cold terror washes over him. 

That's where the Precursors went.

He runs to the door beating and screaming his heart out.

"YOU HAVE TO STOP HIM! THAT'S NOT GOTTLIEB!"

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr @deanogarbage


End file.
